Would You..................

[Liz4JC]

Wow what a dangerous thing to be doing ..sorry if this sounds un charitable or even unChristain like but as has been said earlier in this thread ...you can put yourself in such danger if you do not have back up when doing something like this ......

I HAVE opened my home to a homeless person a few times BUT it is ALWAYS done with great caution and after a LOT of thought , prayer and preperation and with many safeguards put into place. You can risk being raped, injured or killed and then not only would you suffer but you bring suffering upon your families and even upon the person whom you befriended ...should you be putting them into a position of temptation ?

It is a LOT safer to buy clothes ( from a charity shop if need be ) and hand them out along with food than it is to take someone into a situation where you are BOTH vunerable. Also what do you do after the shower /food /clean clothes ? you send them right back to the same situation so they are dirty again within a few hours ...now that doesnt help a whole lot in my mind

Sorry to sound so negative but if you really feel the need to help then it should be well thought through and at least have a chance of having a long term postitive effect on someone .....perhaps getting together with a few neighbours and offering a small income / food/ shelter ( if possible ) to someone who may then be able to find a real job and long term accomodation

I wouldn't be putting anyone in the way of temptation! I will make sure I have someone else at my house with me. Plus i believe God will protect me.. All of this is in a thought tank to begin with.

If I were to think the way you do I'd never step out of my house.

Stepping out in Faith is where it is at, I believe.

Liz4JC

[RedeemedByHim]

Wow what a dangerous thing to be doing ..sorry if this sounds un charitable or even unChristain like but as has been said earlier in this thread ...you can put yourself in such danger if you do not have back up when doing something like this ......

I HAVE opened my home to a homeless person a few times BUT it is ALWAYS done with great caution and after a LOT of thought , prayer and preperation and with many safeguards put into place. You can risk being raped, injured or killed and then not only would you suffer but you bring suffering upon your families and even upon the person whom you befriended ...should you be putting them into a position of temptation ?

It is a LOT safer to buy clothes ( from a charity shop if need be ) and hand them out along with food than it is to take someone into a situation where you are BOTH vunerable. Also what do you do after the shower /food /clean clothes ? you send them right back to the same situation so they are dirty again within a few hours ...now that doesnt help a whole lot in my mind

Sorry to sound so negative but if you really feel the need to help then it should be well thought through and at least have a chance of having a long term postitive effect on someone .....perhaps getting together with a few neighbours and offering a small income / food/ shelter ( if possible ) to someone who may then be able to find a real job and long term accomodation

I wouldn't be putting anyone in the way of temptation! I will make sure I have someone else at my house with me. Plus i believe God will protect me.. All of this is in a thought tank to begin with.

If I were to think the way you do I'd never step out of my house.

Stepping out in Faith is where it is at, I believe.

Liz4JC

so just a question, can I step out in my street in faith that I won't get hit by a car? I am just kidding. I know exactly what you are saying. I am also one of those careful ones. I believe that God would protect me, just at the same time, I do things iwth caution. God is capable of protecting us, just wouldn't let a homeless guy in while I am there by myself or even if my husband is sleeping...

I try to be understanding, because we have a guy in our church with a very good heart. BUt sometimes, he doesn't think clearly. we took a trip to Kansas City, there were four of us: me, my best friend, him, and another guy. Brandon couldn't make it because he had to work. So, Brandon told him and the other guy not to leave us girls alone. What does he do? They (both guys) walk away from us at one point and we didn't find them for several hours later. Now, my friend and I were just fine, but it was stupid of them to walk away from us in a crowd that big. I don't know why I just shared that. I am too lazy to delete it all though so I am just typing nonlessly...I am missing my pastors alot right now and hating the snow and browsing my favorite place to be. (Worthy)

SO, to sum all my opinions up....I am all for helping the homeless, but also being smart at the same time about it. I love the chapter in Matthew about just this subject. I remember my sisters and dad and I were driving two hours while my mom was in Teen Challenge. She was getting baptized this weekend and we decided to bring cinnamon rolls for the ride. Well..I am not sure why we never opened them, but we saw a homeless family on the street. We rolled down the window and gave our breakfast away...That was one of the best feelings i have ever had in my life.

Also, I don't give people on the street money. I say that because I was a drug addict and alcoholic. If they are hungry, I buy them a meal. If they are cold, I would buy or give them clothes. So there is another one thing I do...Love you all...bye

[Guest LadyC]

i do think giving a homeless person the opportunity to take a shower is one of the most loving things you can do. even if they are going to get dirty a few hours later, think about it.... you know how your scalp feels if you haven't shampooed in a couple of days? all itchy, and even sore if your hair is pulled back? imagine how someone's scalp must feel if they haven't showered in a month. but at the same time, i believe if we are going to expect God to protect us from harm, we'd darn sure better be using a great deal of wisdom and discernment about who we offer the shower to.

anyway, i just had a thought... for those who live in major cities, many truck stops have shower facilities available for.... last time i checked it was $7, it may be 10 by now. that's an option that may be much safer... still using discernment and wisdom of the Holy Spirit of course, provide transportation to the nearest full service truck stop, provide a fresh set of clothes for the person, pay for them to enjoy a nice hot shower, and then feed them. full service truck stops sometimes have a very good cafe, or at the very least, a mcdonalds.

and then you could give them a ride back to wherever they stay.

[Guest LadyC]

Sometimes a small meal and shower and clean clothes is all it takes to let someone know that they are not worthless and they are cared for by strangers, even if for a day. A single thought of discouragement and broken will can be changed with a single act of random kindness done through the guidence of the Holy Spirit.

sometimes odd thoughts randomly enter my cluttered mind that seemingly have nothing to do with whatever triggered it. but your comment here triggered one of those thoughts.... about a song i hear a lot lately, so i'm going to share the lyrics with all of you. get out your kleenex! be sure to read it all the way through, even when it sounds repetitive. sometimes THEY can touch OUR lives as much as we touch theirs.

(first the important stuff, the credits...

Artist/Band: Emerson Drive

Lyrics for Song: Moments

Lyrics for Album: Countrified

(Annie Tate/Sam Tate/Dave Berg)

(now the lyrics.)

I was coming to the end of a long long walk

When a man crawled out of a cardboard box

Under the E. Street Bridge

Followed me on to it

I went out halfway across

With that homeless shadow tagging along

So I dug for some change

Wouldn't need it anyway

He took it lookin' just a bit ashamed

He said, You know, I haven't always been this way

I've had my moments, days in the sun

Moments I was second to none

Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do

Like that plane ride coming home from the war

That summer my son was born

And memories like a coat so warm

A cold wind can't get through

Lookin' at me now you might not know it

But I've had my moments

I stood there tryin' to find my nerve

Wondering if a single soul on Earth

Would care at all

Miss me when I'm gone

That old man just kept hanging around

Lookin' at me, lookin' down

I think he recognized

That look in my eyes

Standing with him there I felt ashamed

I said, You know, I haven't always felt this way

I've had my moments, days in the sun

Moments I was second to none

Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do

Like the day I walked away from the wine

For a woman who became my wife

And a love that, when it was right,

Could always see me through

Lookin' at me now you might not know it

But I've had my moments

I know somewhere 'round a trashcan fire tonight

That old man tells his story one more time

He says

I've had my moments, days in the sun

Moments I was second to none

Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do

Like that cool night on the E. Street Bridge

When a young man almost ended it

I was right there, wasn't scared a bit

And I helped to pull him through

Lookin' at me now you might not know it

Oh, lookin' at me now you might not know it

But I've had my moments

[artsylady]

i

anyway, i just had a thought... for those who live in major cities, many truck stops have shower facilities available for.... last time i checked it was $7, it may be 10 by now. that's an option that may be much safer... still using discernment and wisdom of the Holy Spirit of course, provide transportation to the nearest full service truck stop, provide a fresh set of clothes for the person, pay for them to enjoy a nice hot shower, and then feed them. full service truck stops sometimes have a very good cafe, or at the very least, a mcdonalds.

and then you could give them a ride back to wherever they stay.

I would feel more comfortable with this.

[Liz4JC]

i do think giving a homeless person the opportunity to take a shower is one of the most loving things you can do. even if they are going to get dirty a few hours later, think about it.... you know how your scalp feels if you haven't shampooed in a couple of days? all itchy, and even sore if your hair is pulled back? imagine how someone's scalp must feel if they haven't showered in a month. but at the same time, i believe if we are going to expect God to protect us from harm, we'd darn sure better be using a great deal of wisdom and discernment about who we offer the shower to.

anyway, i just had a thought... for those who live in major cities, many truck stops have shower facilities available for.... last time i checked it was $7, it may be 10 by now. that's an option that may be much safer... still using discernment and wisdom of the Holy Spirit of course, provide transportation to the nearest full service truck stop, provide a fresh set of clothes for the person, pay for them to enjoy a nice hot shower, and then feed them. full service truck stops sometimes have a very good cafe, or at the very least, a mcdonalds.

and then you could give them a ride back to wherever they stay.

I think that everyone's comfort zone is different. However, I did give thought to doing exactly what you have suggested.

My reasoning for bring a person home is I could wash their clothes too. It would be a one shot deal. Sure, I could take them to the laundry mat but that is more time consuming, I think.

Liz

[Guest LadyC]

i do think giving a homeless person the opportunity to take a shower is one of the most loving things you can do. even if they are going to get dirty a few hours later, think about it.... you know how your scalp feels if you haven't shampooed in a couple of days? all itchy, and even sore if your hair is pulled back? imagine how someone's scalp must feel if they haven't showered in a month. but at the same time, i believe if we are going to expect God to protect us from harm, we'd darn sure better be using a great deal of wisdom and discernment about who we offer the shower to.

anyway, i just had a thought... for those who live in major cities, many truck stops have shower facilities available for.... last time i checked it was $7, it may be 10 by now. that's an option that may be much safer... still using discernment and wisdom of the Holy Spirit of course, provide transportation to the nearest full service truck stop, provide a fresh set of clothes for the person, pay for them to enjoy a nice hot shower, and then feed them. full service truck stops sometimes have a very good cafe, or at the very least, a mcdonalds.

and then you could give them a ride back to wherever they stay.

I think that everyone's comfort zone is different. However, I did give thought to doing exactly what you have suggested.

My reasoning for bring a person home is I could wash their clothes too. It would be a one shot deal. Sure, I could take them to the laundry mat but that is more time consuming, I think.

Liz

check your local truckstops. most of the ones that offer full services have a laundry room. you could have the clothes washed and dried by the time the homeless person has showered and eaten, provided you've donated another set of clothes to them

even though i actually extended the invitation, and it was to a woman from whom i perceive no physical threat, i know my husband would have a cow. he's very security concious, and since i've been through the nightmarish ordeal of having my home burglarized before, i can understand his concerns. he wouldn't want someone we didn't know well to be able to make mental notes on what we own of any value.

in any case, when i prayed about the invitation i'd extended, God provided the solution, and the invitation was declined. whether God answered that prayer because of how my husband would have reacted or because of some imminant danger i was unaware of is a mute point.

i'd say that the best bet still is always letting the spirit lead you.... and if you feel a check in your spirit, listen.

[RedeemedByHim]

I like that idea of the truck stop...that I could go for...but I would have to have a guy with me to give a homeless guy a ride there..if my husband was working..I would call my husband's best friend to go with me...

[Guest LadyC]

one more thing... just as a precaution. i wouldn't recommend doing either option without the approval of your husband. he's still the head of the household and we should still submit to his authority in matters like these. doing something like this WITH your husband is a GREAT idea though!

[RedeemedByHim]

one more thing... just as a precaution. i wouldn't recommend doing either option without the approval of your husband. he's still the head of the household and we should still submit to his authority in matters like these. doing something like this WITH your husband is a GREAT idea though!